Bruno Guimaraes once again proved Newcastle United’s driving force as the Magpies opened the new year with a hard-earned victory over Crystal Palace at St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe had labelled January a “season-defining” period before kick-off, stressing the importance of building momentum, and his side eventually delivered after a tense and cagey contest.
The first half offered frustration rather than reward.
Goals from Anthony Gordon and Joelinton were both ruled out, while Palace wasted a golden chance to take the lead when Will Hughes somehow poked wide from close range.
With the game drifting towards a stalemate, Guimaraes stepped up.
The Newcastle captain surged into the box to meet a cross and headed past Dean Henderson, getting in front of Justin Devenny to finally break the deadlock with just under 20 minutes remaining.
Unlike earlier in the season, when leads often slipped away, Newcastle saw the job through.
Guimaraes played a decisive role again late on, whipping in a dangerous inswinging corner that Henderson could only push into danger.
The loose ball fell to Malick Thiaw, who swept home to seal the points.
The win lifts Newcastle above Palace into ninth place, while Oliver Glasner’s side drop to 14th and are now without a victory in seven matches across all competitions.
The tension inside St James’ Park was palpable as the clock ticked down, but Guimaraes once more rose to the occasion.
The Brazilian has developed a habit of scoring crucial goals on Tyneside, and this strike matched his best-ever season return for the club with seven goals.
Howe was full of praise afterwards, describing his captain as “very special” and highlighting his ability to decide big games when it matters most.
Palace handed a debut to £35m signing Brennan Johnson just days after his arrival from Tottenham, a sign of their growing need for attacking inspiration.
The winger showed flashes of pace and creativity on the break, including one run that almost teed up Jean-Philippe Mateta.
However, Palace’s familiar problems in front of goal remained.
They managed just one effort on target, and Hughes’ glaring first-half miss summed up an afternoon where opportunities were too often squandered.
For Glasner, the wait for a win goes on, while Newcastle begin 2026 with renewed belief, led once more by their talismanic captain.
